johnson county library monthly book report · johnson county library monthly book report november...

Art Views: Creativity and Culture in Kansas CityOn a beautiful, crisp Autumn evening in October, people gathered at the Corinth Library to view segments of a documentary film that features local artists representative of our diverse and talented communities. Art Views was a project commissioned by the library for No Divide KC and highlights the work of artists who bring differing perspectives to their crafts through the lives they live and the cultures they embrace. The film was accompanied by art exhibitions and an interactive discussion with participants.

The event at Corinth was the first of three in the series that highlights specific artists in the community. That evening, Nora Burkitt and Leslie Norman Hubble were featured, each bringing their own stories and perspectives to the world of art. Burkitt, a talented dancer, spoke in her video about how she has struggled with stereotypes and has had to rise to overcome the common

Top Ten

Library

Top Ten September Holds

A Spark of Light | Jodi Picoult

Where the Crawdads Sing | Delia Owens

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Be Who You Were Meant to Be | Rachel Hollis

The Clockmaker’s Daughter | Kate Morton

Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover

Nine Perfect Strangers | Liane Moriarty

Fear: Trump in the White House | Bob Woodward

In Pieces: A Memoir | Sally Field

The Reckoning | John Grisham

Crazy Rich Asians | Kevin Kwan

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Johnson County LibraryMonthly Book Report

November 2018

Nora Burkitt and Leslie Norman Hubble visit the Corinth Library to discuss their participation in the Art Views documentary.

2 Johnson County Library • Monthly Book Report • November 2018

A sample of upcoming events at Johnson County library branches:

December 1Gingerbread House Making

Shawnee Library | Antioch Library 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

(multiple dates & times)

December 4Never Too Old for Stories

Corinth Library9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.

December 6No Divide KC: Art Views Documentary

Central Resource Library6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.

December 11Storyteller Jo HO: My Snowman is Smiling

Corinth Library9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

December 13Coloring it Bold Reception and Panel

DiscussionCentral Resource Library

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

December 27Theatre from Head to Toe with Brad Shaw

Oak Park Library6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.

Mark Your Calendars

perceptions of dancers. Trained in classical ballet, Burkitt spoke candidly about what it was like to be a minority in a class of dancers, her skin and muscular tone different from the tall and thin girls dancing next to her. It wasn’t until she was in high school and discovered modern dance that she realized where her dancing passion lies, now focusing on contemporary dance and letting her movements tell her story.

Leslie Norman Hubble, an artist who works in both traditional and mixed media, discussed how art helped her to heal and express herself. Struggling with depression and anxiety throughout her life, Hubble uses art as a way to work through those dark periods and express her feelings in a safe and creative outlet. She believes that her childhood helped to shape who she is today, memories of her mother laying out art supplies as “eye candy” on the table for Hubble to use and explore like a door opening for her into the art world. And, when she lost her husband a few years ago, Hubble channeled her grief into new pieces of art, many of which draw from x-rays and the human body for inspiration.

After the 30-minute presentation of Burkitt and

Hubble’s movie segments, the artists took questions from the audience and explored the themes that had been introduced during the film. As the name of the project suggests, the event and movie provide views into the art world from those who have devoted their lives to expressing themselves in creative ways. Burkitt has used dance, not only to express herself, but as a way to overcome dancer stereotypes and her own insecurities taking the stage as someone who might not look like everyone else. When watching her video and clips of her dancing, you get the impression that the movements themselves tell a story that is difficult to put into words. Similarly, Hubble uses art as an outlet for those things that she can’t control and feelings that are often too big to traditionally express, paint on a canvas telling her own story and helping to heal wounds.

Two additional Art Views presentations will conclude the series, one on November 15th at the Gardner branch and the finale presentation on December 6th at the Central Resource Library. Four additional artists will be featured during those events -- Lee Hartman, Taylor McClellan, Andi Meyer and Hugo Ximello-Salido.

3Johnson County Library • Monthly Book Report • November 2018

During this special season, it’s important to stop for a moment to give thanks for all of the wonderful things in our lives. Library staff let us know what they’re thankful for this year:Each day I’m thankful to work for the wonderful Johnson County Library filled with smart, caring people dedicated to serving the community. Kari Engleman, Information Specialist/Monticello

I am thankful for the opportunity to work with a group of enthusiastic, creative professionals who are dedicated to serving patrons and helping each other, and the community for welcoming us so warmly. Jacqueline Suptic, Information Specialist/Monticello

I am thankful for the amazing job I have and for my awesome and supportive co-workers! Diana Spencer, Youth Information Specialist/Corinth

I am thankful for my two daughters and my two grandchildren and that they are all in good health. Constance S. Madison-Walsh, Library Page/Corinth

I’m thankful for a job I love and colleagues who are fun to work with! Amanda Williams, Information Specialist/Central Resource Library

I’m thankful that I get to do meaningful work that supports our community. Laura Hunt, Branch Manager/Central Resource Library

I’m thankful that I get to work in such a wonderful environment where, no matter your job title, you are treated with respect and your ideas are appreciated. I’m also thankful that I work with such top-notch, creative and professional people who put patron service first. Jesseca Bear, Information Specialist/Corinth Library

I am very thankful for my Lackman colleagues’ collective patience and sense of humor. It is a genuine pleasure to work here! I am also grateful for the opportunity to make even a small positive difference in the lives of our patrons from time to time. In the busyness of life, I sometimes fail to recognize this opportunity for the gift it is. Michelle Horton, Information Specialist/Lackman Library

I’m thankful that I can help our older patrons navigate the world of eBooks, provide free internet to people that need it in our community, and help people become lifelong learners. Sarah Askew, Information Specialist/Lackman Library

I am thankful to have the opportunity to watch my storytime families get to know each other and become friends. Our library is a major community hub. Becky Carleton/Lackman Youth Services

Giving Thanks!


Leisurely Strolls Through LeawoodThe Leawood Pioneer Library may not be as big as some of the other branches, but that’s the beauty of books – their impact is limitless and has no bounds. Size doesn’t really matter when you’re strolling through the library’s stacks; in fact, the feel of the library is quaint and cozy, a perfect combination for a crisp autumn day when all you want to do is curl up with a good book.

If you think the library is cozy now, you should have visited before the Youth Services addition was added about 10 years ago. The Leawood branch, nestled on the corner across the street from the Town Center shops, is popular due to its location and sees its share of regular patrons and new faces who pop in from time-to-time to use the computer, drop off some books or settle in for a tutoring session.

“We have a pretty good variety of patronage,” says Monica Duffield, Branch Manager. “A lot of patrons use the materials hold system, and a lot of others get a book and find a comfy chair.”

A full-service library, the branch’s size can sometimes pose a challenge when popular events like Rockin’ The Library with Mr. Stinky Feet are held there. That event alone brought in approximately 140 people despite the meeting room’s 50-person capacity. Not a library to ever deny children the fun of seeing a Mr. Stinky Feet performance, Duffield says they got creative and had little ones sitting on the floor of the library to accommodate all of the patrons. And, sure, the parking can be a challenge with limited spaces and patrons who zoom in and out of the library, but that’s a good problem to have because it means that the branch is popular, highly-used and well-loved in the community.

“I think we’re still developing the feel of the library,” says Rita Glick, Assistant Branch Manager. Because she and Duffield have been at this branch location for less than a year, they are open to letting the library’s personality develop on its own based on the energy that they and their team bring to the space “It’s evolving,” she says. “It’s becoming more comfortable. We’re seeing people lounging here a little bit longer now.”

Duffield and Glick are proud of the Leawood branch and all that it offers, including a space for local artists to display their work and homeschoolers to dive into their latest lessons. Even though development in the area is growing at a fast pace, Duffield sees it as a neighborhood where people spend their entire lives, raising children and then downsizing into one of the nearby condos to enjoy their retirement. Glick seconds that. “I thought it would feel like an urban branch,” she says. “But it’s really a neighborhood branch.”

Branching out

The Leawood Pioneer is a treasure in the community and offers all of the services of a branch twice its size.


Innovative Thinking Leads to a Creative Approach in Leawood Monica Duffield and Rita Glick could have stayed in their own offices. That’s what most people would have done in their situation. As Branch Manager and Assistant Branch Manager of the Leawood Pioneer Library, they had side-by-side offices with their own doors, windows and ledges for flowering plants and, in Glick’s case, a colorful gnome that is part of a larger collection. Duffield and Glick aren’t like most people, however. After coming to the branch from other locations in early 2018, they were both open to thinking about things a bit differently and developing ways to make their work environment work for them. So, after a few months of hallway conversations and going back-and-forth between their offices, they decided to make a change.

“For the first eight weeks or so, we kept getting up and talking to one another,” Duffield says. “We stood in the hallways and I invaded her space.” After weeks of the back-and-forth, an idea occurred to Duffield – why not just work in the same office? Chatting with Duffield and Glick about their decision to combine offices is like talking to roommates who ponder the big decision to rent an apartment together. They took baby steps at first to make sure the arrangement would work, they wanted to respect individual work styles and maximize their ability to collaborate. It was months before they actually took the official step of moving Glick’s desk and office furniture into the shared space, opting to position her next to the window because, as Duffield openly admits with a laugh, all of the happenings outside can sometimes be distracting.

An added benefit of working in a shared space is the benefit to the rest of the library staff. “It opened up an office for staff to do their thing,” Duffield says, the space next door to them now a working space for meetings, projects and staff collaboration. The ability to collaborate is vital in a creative environment such

as this. “Collaboration is so important,” Glick says, who had bought a poster for her office walls that stresses that very thing.

Now that they’ve worked in a shared space for a few months, both Duffield and Glick are happy with the arrangement and unexpected benefits that come with working so closely with a colleague.

“We seemed to click right away,” Glick says. “She has a different way of looking at things that I really admire.” Not only has the working situation cut down on the hallway conversations and opened up space for other things, Duffield and Glick have been able to learn from one another’s management styles by being so closely involved in the day-to-day issues that each of them has to address. “We can talk about things on the spot,” Glick says. “It’s been a huge help with team building.” For the staff, the change has been a seamless transition in a library branch that has seen a lot of new faces in 2018 and is embracing change as it comes. In fact, Glick believes that by moving into a shared office, the staff now view them as a team unit.

As for the colorful gnome, he is adjusting well to his new home one office over, perched happily on the windowsill.

5

Staff spotlight

Johnson County Library • Monthly Book Report • October 2018

Monica Duffield and Rita Glick have discovered the many benefits of a shared workspace.


Patron’s Point of ViewWEN + JoCo Library = Changing Lives On any given day, you can walk into a Johnson County Library and watch lives being changed. Little ones listening attentively during story times show us minds opening and imaginations growing. Teenagers learning new computer applications show us futures becoming brighter and possibilities emerging. Quiet readers in cozy chairs show us readers dedicated to the written word and the sense of community that all patrons bring. Some changes are even bigger than you can imagine and the library is proud to be a part of them.

The mission of the Women’s Employment Network (WEN) is, “To help women raise their self-esteem and achieve economic independence through sustained employment.” The organization, which has been in Kansas City for 32 years, is dedicated to providing women the tools needed to take that next step in life whatever their situations may be. Ashley Williamson, Community Engagement Manager, is thankful for the opportunity to spread WEN’s messaging and services through community libraries and expand its reach to women in Johnson County.

“We’ve always had a good connection with our libraries because we encourage our clients to use them,” she says. Because libraries provide so many resources that can help WEN participants develop the education and confidence they need to reach their professional goals, she considers the relationship between the two organizations to be a natural extension of the services that WEN offers. Although most of their clients come from Jackson County, Williamson says they wanted to expand their reach into Johnson County to provide services for women there, as well. That led to their collaboration

with Johnson County Library, which hosted a WEN on the Road program earlier this year that offered a series of morning classes for residents of Johnson County relating to resume building, interviewing and budgeting.

Williamson was pleased with the turn-out at the program, which was held at the Antioch branch, and recalls that one of the most popular programs was taught by Mark Naster, a longtime volunteer with WEN. His program, “Interviewing is Like Dating” reminded participants that the interview process goes both ways and there’s no reason they should feel intimidated walking into an interview. “You want to know that the person on the other side is just as good for you as you are for them,” Williamson says, describing Naster’s message. “People walk out feeling a lot more confident.”

“This is really a mutually beneficial relationship,” Williams says of the connection WEN has made with the Johnson County Library. Her appreciation for

the library’s meeting spaces and services is not limited to her work with WEN, however; Williamson is also involved with Kansas City Mixed Roots, which an organization that provides support and resources for multiracial families in the community. The organization has hosted events at the Central Resource Library, including one for families who are adopting inter-racially.

“It’s great to know there are spaces here that are free, that parking isn’t a concern and it’s easy to reserve a room,” Williamson says of her experience working with the library. “The library is making it easier for not-for-profits to be effective.”

Participants enjoyed the presentation, “Interviewing is Like Dating” at the Library.


The Month in Review

Above: It’s simply impossible to walk into the Friends of the Library Bookstore at Central Resource and not walk out with something. With a selection that is constantly changing, the store is full of treasures just waiting for a new home.

Right: If you can’t choose a book, let the staff pick for you!

Far Left: Safehome presented two events at Johnson County Library branches in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The event, In Her Shoes, was held at the Antioch and Lackman libraries in October.

Left: An amazing piece of cultural jewelry is on display by Cheryl Eve Acosta at the Central Resource Library. Her designs are inspired by the Cycle of Life and, specifically, marine biology.


The Month in Review

Above: Girl Scouts made a special visit to the Library Board meeting on October 11 to present their bench project at Antioch Library

Right: In celebration of Women’s Voices, a panel of women YA authors participated in a panel discussion moderated by author, Bethany Hagen.

Above & Top Right: There was creepy crawly fun at the Antioch Library during October!

Taking a closer look

An adorable love note from a small patron

A top 5 facebook post, reached 4,000 people and400+ reactions

Our two October podcast episodes received over

500+ views on Facebook.

They’re also posted to the Library’s YouTube channel.

Listen in, here: https://goo.gl/xnSZRR

On Twitter, this booklist struck a chord with readers

interested in true stories that are stranger than fiction.

Need a new read?

Find Librarian recommendations, here:

https://www.jocolibrary.org/we-recommend

johnson county library monthly book report · johnson county library monthly book report november...

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